Ghosts and Orchids
by Erina-san
Summary: The busy streets of York New smelled like money, corruption and…orchids? Hisoka turned around and stared at the woman who just crossed his path. "I'm sorry, have we met before?" She glanced sideways and replied, "no, I don't think so." Then she disappeared in the crowd. That was a lie. Hisoka only remembered the faces of those he wanted to kill. And this one did look familiar.
1. Chapter 1

The first time they met, she had just wanted a proper meal and maybe a shower.

She had nothing in her pockets, and nothing left in the world either. That was why Heaven's Arena seemed like a good place to die, or to start over, depending on her chance.

However, she had never been the lucky kind.

First fight, first floor.

She focused on the monster in her back, not letting it out but still, she could feel its bloodlust lash out to her opponent.

The man froze then forfeited.

She was sent to the thirtieth floor with a few coins, hardly enough to rent a room. Seemed like she would have to sleep in the streets, again.

He was standing by the elevator.

The door opened and they both stepped in. Her face remained neutral while she ignored the stranger who stared without any concern.

"What a beautiful aura," he finally said.

"What," she snapped at him.

He giggled like he was simply playing with a kitten.

"I saw your fight, your _ren_ is as red as blood. Your nen is truly promising."

She cringed in disgust as he kept mumbling about fruits and ripping seasons.

"I don't know who you are, but please stop, it's making me uncomfortable."

"Oh," his wicked grin only spread wider. "I'm just a magician. Come find me if you want to know more about your powers."

Her eyes widen. How did he know? She had a cursed, this strange beast that was a part of her ever since she was born. It was a monster she couldn't control, a thing that killed everyone when it lashed out. There was no way this magician or whatever he was recognized her. No one in the world knew her anymore. They were all six feet under.

"How do you know about my curse?" She asked.

"So I was right," he said, satisfied. "You really are a precious thing. Such a powerful, innate hatsu, it's practically dripping out. I'll teach you zetsu first, so you don't attract moths and die stupidly."

She frowned. What the hell was he talking about? Finally, she decided she just wanted to get out of this elevator and walk away from the odd man. Something about him made her cold and wary.

With a _cling_ , the doors opened and she stepped out, eager to run away.

"Not so fast, dear," he caught her wrist and she felt the beast slowly raise between her shoulder blades. It demanded to be freed, and it was hungry.

The magician's pupils dilated and he let go, with a painful face like he was stopping himself from doing something.

 _Not now_ , Hisoka thought, _she'll become much stronger if I wait, and the fight will only be better._

"You don't have a curse, it is called nen. A power that not many people master. If you want to learn more, come to me."

He flicked his hand and a card appeared in his fingers. The queen of hearts, with a phone number in the middle. He hold out the card to her.

She grabbed it warily.

"Will you offer me dinner?"

This time he looked genuinely surprised and chuckled, his hand covering his mouth.

"Of course, dear."

Well, she wasn't one to turn down a free meal.

* * *

After seven months, she disappeared.

He taught her everything he knew about nen, or at least what he said he knew, because Hisoka was a man of secrets and he never said the truth. It was interesting, because despite everything he turned out to be a good teacher, and she learned quickly, as someone who had had their hatsu their whole life.

But she wasn't stupid.

He was a psychopath, he didn't care about her, he just wanted to make her stronger then break her. He was doing all this for himself, the charming manners and the sometimes kind words were just a play.

So she left. She knew it wouldn't end well, because one day he'd lose patience and fight her to death, it was only a matter of time.

She was now powerful enough to conceal her presence and defend herself.

In the dead of night, she pulled out the bed sheets and slipped out quietly. She looked back one last time, Hisoka was sound asleep after pouring so many drinks.

It was odd. She felt sad to leave him, to betray him, but at least she wouldn't die.

She thought about what he said the other day.

 _"You're very fond of me, aren't you?"_

Maybe he was right, maybe she was a little bit in love with him. But it didn't matter, because if she stayed he would kill her someday and a broken heart was better than a slit throat.

She vanished in the night, and never came back.

In the morning, Hisoka immediatly understood. She had fooled him, she went along with him to finally jinx his plans.

He gave himself the trouble to train her, he lived with her for seven months and she vanished in the night just like that.

If someone was skilled at finding people who wanted to hide, it was Hisoka. But although he looked for her in bars, clubs, hotels, she was nowhere to be found. (He even traveled all the way to Nomuri, her hometown, but she wasn't there either. He cursed himself, of course she wouldn't go to a place so obvious.)

He would never get to fight her.

Hisoka went on a killing spree.

Days, then weeks passed by and he finally calmed down. He was never one to be fixed on something for long anyway.

Hisoka told himself he would forget about her. There were plenty of strong fighters in the world, with innate hatsu or not. She wasted his time, but it was alright.

A part of him was relieved that he couldn't kill her anymore, although he pushed the thought to the back of his mind.

* * *

Five years later, at York New, Hisoka was the same, except for a few added scars and new toys.

He strolled in the streets, until something caught his attention and he turned around.

The woman with ash blonde hair had her face shadowed by a hat. Probably a florist, according to her basket full of flowers.

"I'm sorry, have we met before?" He asked smoothly.

She glanced sideways and replied, "no, I don't think so."

Her expression was indifferent, but there was a gleam in her eyes that reminded him of something. He wasn't quite sure but she disappeared in the crowd before he had the time to say anything.

Hisoka shrugged it off. If he really wanted to find out, he could always look for this woman later. After all there were only a few florists in York New City.


	2. Not an ordinary guest

_"Are you ready?" Hisoka smirked, his hands on his hips._

 _He had insisted she needed to train, although her hatsu was already perfect. A good nen user was able to fight with and without their powers and that wouldn't do if she had as much physical strength as a little girl._

 _"I already told you I don't want to fight," she said quietly. "I don't want to unnecessary hurt people."_

 _His eye twitched._

 _"Jolene," her name rolled on his tongue sweetly, sharply. "This is why I brought you here," he gestured at the empty clearing that was situated a few miles away from Heaven's Arena. "That way no one will get caught in our training session. Now, come fight me."_

 _"It's not like I'm going to win anyway," she muttered, her long hair swaying with the wind. "I don't want to do this."_

 _Hisoka held back the urge to attack her immediately. Perhaps if he just lunged forward she would stop talking and start fighting. It was getting annoying. He had succeeded in gaining a sliver of trust from this lost girl that wasn't much younger than himself but still, everytime he wanted a spar she became as whimsical as a cat._

 _"Come on," he said softly as he decided to leave her one last chance before he stopped being a gentleman, how nice of him, "you almost lost your last fight at the arena remember? In order to protect yourself, you have to practice with me."_

 _Hisoka had loved that fight._

 _In the grandstand of the 200th floor, he had felt disappointed when he saw her opponent wiping the floor with her. He honestly thought it was such a waste for her to die there, even if there was nothing he could do about it. For a moment, he thought about making his great entrance in the fight to save the day like a white knight in shining armor, but come to think of it, that wasn't worth the trouble. Hisoka had never been a courteous man anyway. Plus, white didn't suit him at all._

 _He had sighed in boredom as Jolene's legs gave up beneath her and she just had enough strength to stay conscious. She was a broken doll, a useless load. The magician turned around, ready to go back to his room._

 _And suddenly, as if she had become the main protagonist of an epic story, one in which the underdog stands up at the end of the fight and somehow manages to win, she unleashed her nen - no, her nen unleashed her - and in barely a few seconds the tendrils that came out of her back devoured her opponent. There was a silence as the audience was paralyzed by the beast's power, her power, until the cries erupted. In a sort of trance, Hisoka had jumped to the railing without realizing and when he stared at her frame, he couldn't help thinking she looked absolutely sublime, drenched in blood and horrified by her own display of violence._

 _The referee had lifted her drenched hand in the air to declare the Invoker's victory._

 _Hisoka felt the shivers come back._

 _"Alright," she conceded. "Just go easy on me okay? I'm not as powerful as you are."_

 _Yet. He would make sure she climbed near his level soon. He couldn't wait for their exciting fight to death._

 _He lifted a finger and gestured for her to approach, a wicked grin on his face._

* * *

As the entrance door opened, Jolene looked up from her counter where petals and little pieces of stem were spread. For a moment, she thought it was the ghost she met earlier that morning, coming back to claim his due. She sighed in relief when she recognized the newcomer. Tolga, her main customer's right-hand man. The young man who was wearing a suit and tie greeted her.

"Wait a second," she said as her nimble fingers finished tying the bunch of roses together.

Then she wiped her hands on her apron before giving him a smile.

"What can I do for you?"

* * *

The city of York New was known for its auction that took place once in a year. However, the rest of the year it remained a city of debauchery and corruption. There were others like that in the world, but this one seemed to particularly interest the mafia, as several families liked to meet at York New to conduct their businesses.

There was a saying that everyone in this city had already commited murder or robbery at least once. Sometimes twice. More often several times.

After years of traveling throughout the continent, Jolene wanted to forget about everything that was wrong with her. She just wanted to live a peaceful life. She enjoyed her quiet afternoons in the flower shop spent arranging her orchids into nosegays of soft hues.

Funny that she chose York New City to settle in her untroubled little life.

"You did a great job with this part of the garden," she said as she eyed the perfectly carved shrubbery. The gardener left her to go back to his work. With the running fountain in the middle, the entire view gave a calming feel to the onlooker. Really, she was glad Sero Ritz gave her carte blanche with the park surrounding his estate. He was one of her first customers when she opened the flower shop months ago and every now and then he called her to his mansion to bring a new design to his huge garden.

Speaking of him, the man was making his way towards her, hands in his pockets. His black coat floated behind him and his varnished shoes creaked softly on the gravel. Handsome face shining with confidence because this beautiful mansion and everyone that worked in it was his property, Sero Ritz was exactly what he looked like, a charming young man, heir of the Ritz family, one of the most powerful within the mafia, with plenty of loyal underlings at his feet. There were even families, such as the Nostrades, that worked under his command. And what was even more unfair was that he seemed like (or maybe he really was?) a nice guy.

"I am very pleased with how it turned out, Miss Jolene", he told her once he was by her side. Sero made a point in remembering each one of his employees' name. "What do you plan next?"

"I intend to plant a bed of roses there, or maybe some yellow tulips. It lacks a bit of warm colors at this side, don't you think?" She turned to him and he nodded. Why he listened with so much interest when she spoke of her flowers, she had no idea. Maybe he was just being polite, or maybe he was secretly a plant lover on the inside, anyways Sero really had a way to make anyone who talked with him feel like he was very interested in their words.

"And what about the fence?"

"It doesn't look pretty like that," she frowned. "What would you think of Clematis? They're as colorful as persistent, plus, they'll twine around the fence. I think that could look pretty nice in a few months."

"That sounds lovely," he decided. "Clematis it is then. As always, I trust your taste to make this garden as pleasant as possible."

"Of course Mr. Ritz," Jolene said.

He smiled. "I already told you to stop calling me that, it sounds like you're speaking to my father . You can call me Sero, like everyone does."

She nodded and waited when he didn't move. She knew she was done for the day here, she just needed to go home and prepare the flowers she chose so that tomorrow the gardener could start his job. Fortunately, everything she needed was already at the shop so his work wouldn't be delayed. However, Sero looked like he wanted to say something and she wanted to go home as soon as possible so she decided to make him spill it out.

"Is there a problem? You seem lost in thought." That wasn't the smartest thing she said today, she realized. Of course he had a lot to think of, he was a mafia leader.

"Miss Jolene," he finally replied, "there will be a reception at my house tonight, will you come?"

She lifted an eyebrow. "A reception, as in a gathering with other families of the mafia to conduct business?"

"Exactly," he exclaimed with a bright smile.

Jolene crossed her arms on her chest.

"Why would I come? I have nothing to do at an event like this."

"Please," his hand touched her forearm, "it'll be fun."

* * *

Jolene sighed as she sank deeper into her bath. What would a man such as Sero Ritz want to do with her? The only interactions they had had been in his garden, often beside the fountain, sometimes just on the stairs at his doorstep. He led her into the house once and gave her a tour of it, it wasn't empty, members of his family, like his sister and her children, as well as his trusted men lived in here. He had always been nice to her the few times they talked. In spite of that, it still made no sense for him to ask her to come to his party.

Sero was definitely hiding something from her. She still recalled his eyes and the expression on his face that afternoon, it was one of expectation and awareness.

He knew.

He was plotting something. And the fact that he included her to his plan made her feel uneasy.

She didn't know if she wanted to be involved in all this. Probably not. Dying in a conflict within the mafia wasn't really the best way to die. Not the one she would take as first choice. Because yes, everything she did or think came back to her death, Jolene was a self-centered woman like that.

She sighed again when she remembered the magician she met this morning. His return didn't promise anything good. Yet, she had hoped she would not see him again during his stay here, York New was a big city after all and he wouldn't remain for long, given his fickle nature.

She couldn't be any more wrong about it.

* * *

Jolene brought her third glass of champagne to her lips. In a flattering red dress, her ash blond hair up and a scowl on her face, she looked exactly like any other women at Sero's reception, pretty, prickly and messed up. Some were just better at hiding it than others.

Sero had given her a nod and a smile when she came in, she only stared at him while he was in the middle of his conversation with his father.

It wasn't an overstatement to say that she wasn't in her best mood right now.

She had directly made it to the buffet because she had nothing else to do. She intended to get drunk and watch those strangers discuss and form their alliances through the night. It wasn't particularly interesting, but she had nothing else to do. Really, nothing.

A boy no older than ten came to stand beside her. She had forgotten his name but she knew he was Sero's nephew.

She was half amused when she saw him help himself a glass of alcohol.

"I don't think you should drink that," the responsible adult in her told him. Jolene thought that must have been her first good deed for a while.

"I don't think anyone should care," he replied with his high pitched voice. "No one never cares anyway."

She had nothing to say to that. She never was an eloquent person so she didn't give herself the trouble of disproving the ten year old kid in his mid-life crisis. His parents should be watching him more closely.

"So, why are you alone?" He asked her. "Aren't you going to talk with Sero?"

"I could say the same to you. Don't you have friends?"

The boy shrugged. "My sister is dancing there," he pointed to a little girl in a corner. She was laughing with a slightly older boy. "I don't like the other kids, they're stupid."

"You shouldn't say that," Jolene took a sip of her drink. Her face was turning a little pink.

"But they truly are stupid!" He protested.

She laughed quietly. "Perhaps you're right, but you can't say it out loud. You'll be alone if you don't learn to keep quiet on certain things."

"Great, because you have so many friends," he eyed her with disbelief. "Thanks for the advice, miss florist."

She pinched his cheek while he whined for her to let go.

She stopped when she heard a charming laugh and she looked up to see Sero Ritz next to her.

"I see you two are getting along," he grinned. She stared at him with an inexpressive face. The boy walked away towards his sister.

"Are you going to tell me why you made me come?"

"I just wanted you to have fun. By the way, you look great in this dress."

She gauged him with her eyes, unimpressed. "Of course, that's why you told your driver to stay at my door until I agreed to come. I didn't know you were that much of a stalker, Mr. Ritz."

"Sero," he corrected as he delicately took the glass from her hands. "How many did you have? I'm afraid you won't be able to go home tonight if you keep drinking."

"This is my idea of having fun," she deadpanned.

He laughed again. There was a time when Jolene used to drink a lot, every night, until she couldn't walk straight anymore and the sultry voice of the man she used to stay with sounded incredibly more appealing than usual. Nowadays she barely drank and there was no one anymore to come with her to her room.

She shook the odd feeling of nostalgia away. She was in a conversation with Sero right now, there was no reason to think back about the ghosts of her past.

"You still didn't answer my question. Why am I here?" She said again.

He fixed the end of his sleeve.

"Let's just say you're a back up shield. In case things don't go as expected. But don't worry, for now you'll only be my guest."

"I don't understand," she rose her voice.

"Hush," he smiled. "I said you were an ordinary guest for now. Normally I won't need you to do anything else, so just relax and-"

"Have fun, I got it."

She took back her glass and gulped down its content. Sero Ritz knew. He knew who she truly was, he knew about her powers. He referred to her as a shield, what a joke. If anything, she should be a spear, or maybe a bombshell. She couldn't protect anyone. That was simply inconsistent with her nen.

"Since when do you know?" She frowned.

"Since the beginning, I'm sorry. I wanted to give you a job in the Ritz family the day we first met, but you didn't seem like you wanted one. So I just asked you about my garden. It's gorgeous, by the way."

"Whatever," she said dryly.

Of course he wasn't interested in her flowers. He just saw what every man she had ever met saw in her, a powerful weapon, something useful to take advantage of. It was getting old. Ignoring the empty sensation in her chest, she turned to him.

"After tonight, I don't want to do anything with you anymore. I'm tired of violence and I'll never use my nen again."

Again, an oath that she wouldn't be able to keep.

"No, don't be like that," Sero started but a horrible sound of crashing glass stopped him.

Upstairs, a man was contemplating the reception, staring down at all everyone. Jolene's heart skipped a beat when his gaze met hers. She swore she saw his smirk widen, even at this distance. His red hair was contrasting brightly with his black suit, while he shuffled his deck of cards.

 _What is he doing here?!_ She thought with alarm.

Sero Ritz kept his eyes on the newcomer, dead serious as he began to take out his gun.

"Protect my family," he ordered her.

She clenched her fists. She should have never come here, should have never spoken to Ritz in the first place. She didn't sign for any of this, she just wanted to wake up from this nightmare.

Hisoka jumped down the first floor and with a flick of his wrist, he slit a bodyguard's throat before anyone reacted.

All at once, guns were pointed at him and they shot him as one man. Very coordinated, those mafiosos.

Hisoka laughed with excitement as they emptied their cartridges at him.

The party had begun.

* * *

 **Hello everyone, and thank you for reading the chapter. I'm sorry it took me so long to update. I've been busy these last weeks and I know it's stupid, but I was kinda afraid to fuck up so I delayed writing the chapter. I know, that's as stupid as it sounds. But, it written now and I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks to everyone** **who follows this story. Especially xenocanaan and DazzlingDenasha, thank you for your reviews!**

 **Thanks again for reading, I'll do my best to update faster next time, until then, take care of yourselves.**


	3. Something wicked this way comes

_**I know I haven't posted anything for more than a year, but I really hope some people still vaguely remember this story. The chapter is finally here, so enjoy.**_

* * *

There was something endearing in the sight of men and women bleeding and fighting for their lives. But the sound, the sound was what made it all exquisite. Strained and strangled voices sounded as harmonious as any orchestra, if one had the ears to listen for them. Hisoka was having a wonderful time at that party. In this hall made of stone and glass, cries erupted and always the steady bang of gunshots kept gushing.

A tempo that outlined the dance and made him thirst for more. Claps and cheers for the magician in the centre of the attention.

Hisoka had always felt the most like himself when death was coming at him at high speed, only missing by a whisker. Some people needed to find a purpose to their life, this hobby or this only person that could electrify them, but Hisoka had always known that everything he did was to catch a glimpse of death. She was a dangerous, demanding woman and he was the faithful lover that always came back to meet her, no matter how cold she had been to him.

Once again, he dodged a bullet, caught two Ritz men (they were quite attractive) with his bungee gum, threw them heads first against a marble pillar and lunged towards the closest man. Hisoka went directly for his throat and without further due, slit it.

Immediately, the man's body was sprayed with bullets coated in nen, and when they passed through the flesh, intended to hit him, Hisoka jumped back and crouched on a table on the side. He placed a finger on his arm and found it red, all the while watching the man who had just shot through his cousin's body, because it was Hisoka's only blind spot at the time. Clean, merciless and practical, just as expected from the one who was expected to become one day the most powerful man within the mafia. Well, too bad he wouldn't, because Hisoka would kill him tonight. Facing him, Sero Ritz lifted his gun and smiled grimly. Hisoka smirked. How lucky he was, not even having to look for his target. His dear pin-and-needle friend would approve.

"How nice of you to join me » the magician licked his lips. « I'm afraid the party was a little bit dull in the beginning, but don't worry, here I am. I'll show you my tricks, so why don't you try to entertain me?"

Sero gritted his teeth and shot half a dozen time. He was aiming for the head, unfortunately, all the bullet got caught in the bungee gum that Hisoka had especially thicken to diminish the impacts.

"This is not the first time someone comes for my head. It won't be the last. Men stronger and more passionate than you have tried. But they all fell and I can't wait to cut you to pieces and send you back to whoever hired you."

"Adorable!" Hisoka was delighted. "You're starting to turn me on, you know. Please, do try to hurt me."

* * *

Jolene was beginning to feel sick. It had been years since the last time she witnessed such an effusion of violence. She had almost forgotten what it felt to be around Hisoka. That chaos he brought with him wherever he went, that smell of danger and bloodlust and hunger, as if he was a predator hunting on new fields each time. Had his aura always felt so overwhelming? Things were shattering, people were dying and yet, he looked like he was having the time of his life. Jolene forced herself to breathe and stay focused. _Find an exit, get out of here quickly, never come back_ , she mentally noted as her priorities. The rest could come later.

 _Protect my family_ , Sero Ritz's voice echoed in her head.

Like hell she was going to. He had had the nerve to bring her into his mess when she had asked for nothing, and even worse, she had actually tried to be honest with him. So much for having an ordinary job.

Some guests were rushing towards the doors, but most of them remained to fight. No matter what one would say, Sero had loyal friends and they were staying to fight beside him. Or rather die beside him. Very moving, but Jolene had never been a team player, and no matter how noble and heroic someone tried to act, it meant nothing when the magician had his eyes on them.

The smell of firearms and blood was reminder her of darker, more desperate times and she did not like that at all. Her life was supposed to be all flowers in a shop, straw hat on the head and riding a bicycle in the paved streets of York New now. Not this indefinable mess.

Jolene had always hated loud and crowded places and she swore under her breath when a man bumped into her as he ran for the door.

She put a strand of ash blond hair behind her ear and glared at the back of his head. If somehow her red silk dress got ruined tonight, she'd make sure Hisoka wouldn't be the only danger to fear in the room.

The florist followed with her gaze the ones running out as no one noticed her among the crowd. She could see Sophia Ritz, Sero's sister, holding her children's hands, the boy who drank at the buffet earlier and his sister. Even with a stranger killing her men in her home Sophia looked as beautiful as ever, calmly leading her children out. Following her was the fastest way to get out into safety, Jolene decided. However, no matter how hard they tried, the men in front couldn't open the black wooden doors. Immediately she focused her gyo on her eyes and clicked her tongue when her suspicions were confirmed. The doors were sealed with a pink, sticky nen, one impossible to get rid of. Hisoka's bungee gum was as annoying as ever. Time to look for another way out.

There was another door at the back of the room, but this one was always locked. Perhaps she could try and kick it open, even though she was wearing heels, she was pretty confident in her ability to force her way out.

However, the sound of crashing wood interrupted her musings and she stared at the said door. Or rather what was left of it.

It was entirely busted, leaving shards of ebony on the carpet. The night sky was clear outside and the cold wind that got in the hall tasted like hope and safety inside the hall that boiled with bloodlust. Even Hisoka and his new friends stopped fighting for half a second.

Then he laughed and mayhem fell all over again. Sero Ritz cursed loudly and shouted new orders to his men.

Jolene shuddered. Not because of the wind on her bare arms, not because of the loud gunshots,  
but because of the man who just joined the party.

His long hair were perfectly straight and his face was one of the most unsettling ones she had ever seen. It was inexpressive. As if he wasn't even human. She wondered what kind of atrocities these eyes would be able to watch without even blinking. Jolene had met her fair share of creepy men but this one instantly took the first place.

Every one who was trying to flee seemed to think the same, because although there was a clear exit now, no one dared make a move towards it. They didn't need to be nen users to feel the newcomer's appalling aura.

Someone threw knives at him but he easily dodged and instead, he threw back small glinting needles, some pins apparently. What happened next couldn't be describe. Jolene watched the man who received a pin in his forehead fall, his face frozen into an ugly and terrified expression (death was always the ugliest expression to wear) but then he was on his feet again and his face had lost all consciousness and he began to stab his comrade next to him. The newcomer's twisted ability made Jolene narrow her eyes.

Now things had change and even the cowards who wanted to escape had to take arms. Jolene leaned behind a pillar and forced herself to think. There was no way she would fight alongside the mafia. Not against two strong nen users like Hisoka and the pins guy. And she would not fight alongside them either, that would be ridiculous. Maybe she was a coward, or maybe she was a deadweight, but either way she would be useless in this battle. Let the mafia and the two psychopaths fight among them, she couldn't care less.

There had to be some kind of secret exit in the hall. A plan in case those sort of things happened. Surely the Ritz family were prepared for that.

Her eyes landed on Sophia's long dress and perfectly composed face, her best chance of fleeing and immediatly she knew she had found her way out.

Sophia crouched to be at her children's eye level, tenderly stroking their hair. She had one hand on the boy's head, the other on the girl. Jolene barely heard what she said, but from where she stood she could read on her lips, as she was drawn, fascinated by the three of them, despite the urgency of the situation. It was like looking at your neighboors' living room through a window, knowing full well you were intruding on a personal and plain scene, but you just can't look away.

"It'll be alright," Sophia Ritz's graceful face smiled with reassurance. "You know what to do. Protect each other and it'll be fine. Mum will join you later."

The children nodded, and hand in hand they vanished behind a velvet curtain. Sophia watched them go and tucked a strand of her perfect black hair behind her ear. Even in this situation she looked elegant. Then she pulled a gun from under a table through the white tablecloth and joined the fight with her men.

Jolene sighed. She had found her ticket out.  
Without hesitation she went to the curtain and after making sure no one saw her, she disappeared behind it as well.

* * *

 _ **So... I am really excited to get back to writing again after so long. Thank you to those lovely reviewers xenocanaan, just4storys, xSiriuslyPadfoot, leah-kow , Dz Fog, rentamiya, LittleAngel2292, hanaemajin and everyone else who took the time to read! The next chapter will come more quickly and will be longer (or at least that's what I'm planning). Until then, take care.**_


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